The amendments, adopted last October with a grace period that extends until March 1, now require both Department of Defense civilians and non-DOD civilians living off base to pass a background check as part of the registration process for their weapons.

An additional change, Bush said, requires off-base military personnel to register only the weapons they would bring onto the base for hunting or other purposes. The previous rule required registration of all firearms.

“If we just look at the weapons, and if people are non-military, we won’t know if we have someone who is prohibited from bringing a firearm on the installation,” he said. “Once we do a background check, we’ll know if they have a felony – or even a misdemeanor dealing with domestic violence.”

Anyone failing the background check will be advised of the reasons and will have the option of appealing the decision to the base commander.

The changes are unrelated to the fallout from the Sandy Hook elementary school shootings in Connecticut, Bush said, and were adopted last October with a four-month grace period to allow everyone to become acquainted with the changes.

The amended policies stem, in part, from a January 2012 directive from the Department of the Army asking that military bases update their rules for control of firearms, ammunition and other dangerous weapons.

The broad edict included a range of rulemaking options that gave individual base commanders leeway in drafting or updating policies.

AT A GLANCE

Beginning March 1, the following changes will go into effect at Fort Gordon:

• Fort Gordon will officially begin asking people for paperwork verifying that Department of Defense civilians and non-DOD civilians living off base have undergone and passed a background check that allows them to bring a firearm on post. The policy requiring the background check was adopted in October but the grace period for compliance will end March 1.

• The existing rule that military personnel residing off-post must register all weapons will change to require that they only need to register weapons they plan to bring on post to participate in authorized activities.

Learn more about Fort Gordon’s policy at www.gordon.army.mil/dhr. Click “Regulations and Forms” and select form 210-13.

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OK....but the overall impact will be miniscule. Felons in the majority of states routinely get there weapon rights back with no hearing, usually they just answer some question and sign. Few states make it difficult, and since felons commit the majority of gun crimes, none of this will make much difference in the end. Those that respect laws, don't break laws.

What do they mean by "background check"? If you sign a paper requesting to be allowed to bring a weapon onto the base, what exactly do they check - your medical history (manic depression, schizophrenia, etc.) - your traffic violations - your parking tickets - your defaults on your college loans, bankruptcies, etc. ?????

• Fort Gordon will officially begin asking people for paperwork verifying that Department of Defense civilians and non-DOD civilians living off base have undergone and passed a background check that allows them to bring a firearm on post.

Where does one get one of the forms? Can you print one up on your printer? How about this:

This form certifies that (fill in the blank here) Joe Blow has undergone and passed a background check that permits him/her to bring a firearm onto Fort Gordon property.

(3) Firearms legally brought onto the installation by DOD civilians or non-DOD civilians for use at authorized activities must have a valid and favorable National Crime Information Center (NCIC) check completed.
(4) Authorization to bring firearms onto the installation by DOD civilians or non-DOD civilians residing off the installation will be accomplished under the following criteria:
(a) DOD civilians and non DOD civilians will authorize Fort Gordon officials to conduct a National Crime Information Center (NCIC) check. If the NCIC check is favorable, it will be valid for one year. Privately owned weapons can then be legally brought onto the installation without registering each firearm as long as the NCIC check is valid and favorable.

Thank you, shadow, for providing the type of check Fort Gordon intends to do. Let's think about it for a moment. Let's say you possess several firearms legally. However, somewhere in the distant past you pushed your wife against a door and she swore out a domestic violence warrant against you that was entered into a police report. Presumably the domestic violence incident will show up when Fort Gordon does the NCIC check, and they won't let you take your guns into the fort.

However, officials at the fort now know you have those weapons because you filled out the application. Whenever the Commander in Chief decides to come after people’s guns, you will be a target.